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An air carrier large transport descended through its assigned altitude. The first officer says that the captain failed to arm the autoplt altitude capture. Altitude deviation. Captain's error admitted by first officer.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 349510 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199610 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fmy |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : fmy tower : bwi |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 349510 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During descent for an approach, the aircraft was allowed to descend to approximately 7500 ft MSL when 8000 ft had been assigned. The captain was flying the aircraft and the autoplt was on. Apparently the captain did not arm the altitude capture and the first officer and engineer failed to notice the error or catch the altitude deviation until the aircraft descended below the assigned altitude. So a combination of fatigue, outside WX distractions, aircraft differences, and lack of experience on the aircraft were all contributing. In my opinion, fatigue was the most significant cause. Flying air crews in their normal diurnal cycle will go a long way toward preventing these types of lapses.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR LGT DSNDED THROUGH ITS ASSIGNED ALT. THE FO SAYS THAT THE CAPT FAILED TO ARM THE AUTOPLT ALT CAPTURE. ALTDEV. CAPT'S ERROR ADMITTED BY FO.
Narrative: DURING DSCNT FOR AN APCH, THE ACFT WAS ALLOWED TO DSND TO APPROX 7500 FT MSL WHEN 8000 FT HAD BEEN ASSIGNED. THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND THE AUTOPLT WAS ON. APPARENTLY THE CAPT DID NOT ARM THE ALT CAPTURE AND THE FO AND ENGINEER FAILED TO NOTICE THE ERROR OR CATCH THE ALTDEV UNTIL THE ACFT DSNDED BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT. SO A COMBINATION OF FATIGUE, OUTSIDE WX DISTRACTIONS, ACFT DIFFERENCES, AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE ON THE ACFT WERE ALL CONTRIBUTING. IN MY OPINION, FATIGUE WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CAUSE. FLYING AIR CREWS IN THEIR NORMAL DIURNAL CYCLE WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD PREVENTING THESE TYPES OF LAPSES.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.